John Dawlish (Ninclow)
John Dawlish was a half-blood wizard in the employment of the Ministry of Magic in London. An academically gifted student during his formative years, Dawlish left school with top marks in all his N.E.W.T.s. and would go on to become a well-respected and highly capable Auror of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement. A seasoned fighter of good repute, Dawlish fought valiantly against Lord Voldemort and his supporters during the 1970s, during which he lost his wife to the war, and ultimately earned recognition for his defeat and capture of Antonin Dolohov, who had earned particular notoriety for being among the most powerful and dangerous of all the Death Eaters under Voldemort's command. A hardened veteran, Dawlish have he spent most of his working life fighting Dark Wizards, and have long come to be regarded as reliable, trustworthy and able, and known for his staunch loyalty and tireless diligence to the Ministry of Magic. Having burnished himself in status and ability throughout an illustrious career, Dawlish is known to have been called upon for special assignments beside mere crime scene investigations and other field work, and takes pride in often being the Ministry's first choice to guard high profile targets, or protect high-risk areas from attack. Even so, some regard him as blindly loyal to the institution he serves to the point of being a pawn, a sentiment he resents quite a bit. Biography Parents Born into one of wizarding America’s most prominent families at the dawn of the twentieth century, the father of John Dawlish was a powerful and very commanding Auror of the Magical Congress of the United States of America who, after a distinguished career, was enlisted to a special task force at the Department for Magical Security became smitten with a No-Maj Early life (1941-1956) Born at the English St David's Hospital on the September 15, 18, little John Dawlish was given up for adoption almost immediately following his mother's parturition, but, being prematurely born and therefore very small and sickly, no one dared to take him in, since the doctors believed and there all around him began worrying that the child would be leaving the world almost as quickly as he entered it, discouraging potential parents from growing too attached to the tiny thing. The child lived, however, much to the surprise of the doctors tending to him, by the time the boy had become healthy enough to leave the safety of the hospital, he had already been made a ward of the state. As such, the childhood of John Dawlish was not an altogether easy one, having grown up in a dingy orphanage in London from where he retained very few memories to which he could look back upon with any fondness, not counting the summer outings. wizard who attended Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, where he would be sorted into Ravenclaw House and finish his education earning top marks on all of his O.W.L.s and N.E.W.T.s. An accomplished wizard, Dawlish joined the Ministry of Magic in London almost immediately his graduation, and completed a stringent series of character and aptitude tests to be accepted into the comprehensive, three year long training programme subscribed to potential applicants for the Auror Office. Having fought Dark wizards for most of his working life, in time, Dawlish became a hardened veteran. Having served with distinction for several years and gaining a considerable reputation throughout a long and illustrious career. Though no Mad-Eye Moody, Dawlish is nevertheless noted to have a highly reputable caliber based on his service, and fought valiantly against Lord Voldemort and his supporters during the 1970s, during which he were responsible for a lot of captures and arrests of dangerous Dark wizards, as well as for having defeated and killed a notorious and much feared Death Eater by the name of Wilkes. By the mid-1990's, Dawlish had long become highly regarded as an excellent Auror, and wwere even enlisted to serve as bodyguard to the Minister for Magic himself, Cornelius Fudge. Upon the official announcement of the Dark Lord's return, however, Dawlish was reassigned to a task force stationed in the village of Hogsmeade in order to provide Hogwarts Castle extra protection. In spite of effectively having assisted the Death Eaters in the persecution of Muggle-borns during their regime, Dawlish never served time in the wizarding prison of Azkaban, having been forgiven for his crimes and duly omitted from most official records from that time of because he was coerced into helping them by threats to his daughter's life and eventually being placed under the influence of the Imperius Curse for much of the time, and thus unconscious of anything that he was doing. His true strength of character became apparent when he received word that Hogwarts were under sige by the Dark Lord. Still recuperating at the St. Mungo’s Hospital for Magical Maladies and Injuries after his failed attempt to apprehend Augusta Longbottom at the time of this discovery, the realisation of what kind of danger his daughter was in quickly allowed him to break free from the hold that the Dark Lord's followers had over him. In spite of his injuries, Dawlish did arrive toward the end of the battle alongside hundreds of reinforcements consisting of the residents of Hogsmeade and the friends and family of all the Hogwarts students who had chosen to stay and fight, though he came too late to save her. Raised without any proper form of parental love and among people who were all too different from himself, young Dawlish spent most of his formative years struggling against a difficulty in making friends and the constant "bitterness of abandonment" from the knowledge that his parents had jus simply tossed him aside.. Neither of which, understandably enough, was made any easier by the fact that Dawlish, in his youth, had been quite unaware of his wizarding heritage, meaning that whenever he experienced one of the episodes of small but unmistakable, signs of magic, he had no way of knowing, let alone understanding the many oddities that happened around him, which, while sporadic, still was talked about in hushed voices behind closed doors long afterwards, causing him much additional distress. Often in conflict within himself throughout most of his formative years about whether there was something wrong with him or if the staff at the orphanage simply did not understand him, while he in later years admitted that the orphans in residence were well cared for, he still remembered it to be a rather grim place to grow up, even without the additional complications of doing so with magic in a Muggle world. His life were to take an unexpected turn, however, when a peculiar-looking older gentleman in a flamboyantly cut suit of plum velvet and a great deal of auburn hair and beard, both of which were almost artistically threaded with silver whom John had never one morning stood at the door. Noticing how the matron appeared to know who he was, John overheard just enough to figure out that it was because of him that the this mysterious visitor whom John had never seen before dropped by within a week of his eleventh birthday. Brave in the face of adversity, however, John made every effort not to show any hint of his initial disappointment when he learned that their mysterious visitor, who, upon introducing himself by a name that was every bit as peculiar as the man himself, explained that he was, rather than looking to adopt him, as John had initially thought, a teacher who had come to offer him a place at their school. Even so, John was greatly surprised to hear that he was a wizard, eagerly accepting the offer when Dumbledore responded to his initial skepticism by stepping out of his own shoes and having them tap dance across the floor by themselves with the wave of a wand. The following morning, Professor Dumbledore took him to Diagon Alley, where he bought a wand and some second-hand robes and spell books for himself with a stipend from school. Hogwarts years (1956-1962) The young Dawlish’s arrival at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry was not the triumph that he had expected, however. Having never really gotten along with the other orphans, partially, he had realised, due to the accidents and embarrassments that his magic accidentally caused, Dawlish had very much looked forward to meet other witches and wizards, hoping to feel normal for the first time in his life and at long last have friends and playmates of his own. Which was why it came as a rather unwelcome shock when he unexpectedly drew| unusual attention to himself on his very first evening, even before he had the chance to set foot inside the castle. Physical appearance A tough-looking wizard, Dawlish exudes an air of alertness and decision, which some might find off-putting or even somewhat intimidating. A stocky man, he have very short, wiry grey hair, wide silvery blue eyes and a pointed chin. He often tends to wear a brown trench coat while on duty. Personality and traits Driven primarily by steely determination and a crushing sense of duty, John Dawlish is an exceedingly dedicated individual and arguably among the most steadfast and fervent wizards ever to grace the offices of the Auror Department in the history of the Ministry of Magic. Known by most to be a reliable, trustworthy and able, Dawlish is known to take his duties very seriously and to maintain a professional and courteous demeanor, even in the face of open hostility. Not an intimately friendly person, however, Dawlish remains something of an enigma to most, even among his fellow Aurors: A reserved, almost taciturn man who have spent a lifetime of fighting the dark forces and grown most suspicious and distrustful of of those around him as a result, and is someone who will pour all of his energy into his work and be extremely reticent where his personal affairs are concerned. Nevertheless noted for his impressive track record, it is not without good reason that it is generally felt by those who knows him that only a fool would ever question the fact that Dawlish, whatever other faults he might have, is a a good man in a corner and makes for an unwavering ally and an implacable foe. For this reason, Dawlish have long come to be seen as the perfect image of gravitas and enigmatic austerity, concealing many facets of his personality behind grim-faced stoicism and courteous, albeit be it somewhat curt, professionalism. That is not to say that there are not people both inside and outside of the Auror Office who know first-hand that Dawlsih can actually be very good company to those he allowed close to him, but due to the many personal bereavements he have suffered in the line of duty over the years, his trust is not easily earned and these friends are hence more often than not both few and far between. As a general rule, however, Dawlish rarely smiles and have never been famed for giving compliments freely, being is every bit the brooding, gloomy soldier that the first impression some people might have of him suggests, often being seen as overly serious, even for an Auror. Known to naturally adopt a somewhat controlling persona around the people at the office, at the Auror Headquarters, Dawlish plays the role of a gruff authority figure from whom the freshly initiated and less inexperienced often reluctantly ask for advice, not unlike how some students might dread to ask the opinion of a particularly strict teacher. His somewhat domineering demeanor is not restricted to the people he is able to pull rank on, however, because while it were true that his blunt reasoning and manner of speech often is noticeably less pronounced when he address those of higher status on the staff than himself, he is still utterly unafraid to be unceremoniously curt with them if he thinks that they are in the wrong on an especially important matter. Among the other hardened veterans who have fought alongside him long enough to to catch the odd glimpse of the man behind the fierce exterior, however, not to mention other older, wiser associates of Dawlish's who have been there to witness occasional deviations from his usual austerity over the years, might feel inclined to practice a modicum of patience with this attitude from him, as they recognise that such behavior from Dawlish, not to mention his habit of volunteering for the most dangerous assignments the Head of the Auror Department has to offer, as a telltale sign of how he truly feels about them all, and that his somewhat blunt and domineering demeanor as simply being Dawlish's own rather reserved manner of showing concern for their well-being. Something for which he is not very popular, however, is the fact that Dawlish is actually a surprisingly warlike wizard: Although usually unflappable during in dangerous and difficult situations, and quite capable of taking charge and making quick and effective decisions if called upon to do so, Dawlish are, above all, he is is a man of action. While no advocate for violence, nor known to boast of the fact, Dawlish is a no hold barred fighter who does not feel particularly obliged to put restrictions on duelling in a combat situation. As such, more than once, his adversaries have had to spend some time recuperating at St Mungo's Hospital for Magical Maladies and Injuries before they could be questioned, even if he still prudently sought to avoid inflicting lethal injuries if at all avoidable. Another weakness often greatly criticised for by fellow Aurors were also the foolhardy and almost bloodthirsty side of him that has a tendency to resurface in situations where Dawlish have just gotten the upper hand on a particularly fierce or notorious enemy, on which occasions he is often overcome with an almost euphoric feeling of fearlessness and invincibility and have been known to stop duelling tactically and instead simply try and overwhelm his adversary with a barrage of aggressive offensive spellwork in a fit of righteous anger, attacking relentlessly and with reckless abandon for his own well-being. While Dawlish claims he can keep his temper under control, there is no denying that some of the worst injuries he have sustained in battle has happened in that condition. In addition to the fact that those who do strike up a friendship with him are usually caught a little off guard by what a scholarly, literary and cultured man he really is, another, more welcome deviation from his usual austerity can also be seen by his friends. He also have a fun side; When he was assigned to the protection of Hogwarts Castle in 1996, being stationed in Hogsmeade, it is known that he foolishly voiced the belief that the English Quidditch team Puddlemere United would flatten the Scottish team known as the Montrose Magpies in their next game at the league, only for one of the children present to "rally the troops" to retaliate for this insult, bombarding him with snowballs when he left the inn to patrol the village later that evening. Dawlish would later, in an unusual display of good humor, claim that he defended himself valiantly, but ultimately suffered a crushing defeat at the hands of every child in the village when they began borrowing wands from their parents to bewitch snow to attack him. Additionally, anyone who have ever seen Dawlish around those of whom he are fond, like his daughter, would readily agree John Dawlish have a warmer, kinder soul by far than his fierce exterior indicates. Magical abilities and skills * Magical Mastery: John Dawlish is a wizard of considerable ability, excelling in his studies and ultimately achieving top marks on all of his N.E.W.T.s, showing a knowledge and talent with magic beyond most of those his age. A further testament of the fact that he was an unusually accomplished wizard was seen when he became an Auror, as only the best and brightest could ever have passed the training program. . * Auror skills: 'Trained extensively in the hallmarks of the Auror's trade, Dawlish have an extensive knowledge of poisons and antidotes, and is able to correct most accidents, mishaps and even deliberate mutations caused by transfiguration with little difficulty. An effective investigator, he is a capable detective and is also accomplished in specialised areas such as ''Concealment and Disguise and Stealth and Tracking. These are all skills he have employed so effectively that he became reputable enough to be entrusted with assignments of particular importance: He was enlisted to serve as bodyguard of then Minister for Magic Cornelius Fudge in 1995, and was put in charge of a small Auror task force stationed in the village of Hogsmeade to guard Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry from potential Death Eater attacks during the height of the Second Wizarding War. * '''Defence Against the Dark Arts: '''Dawlish is highly proficient in Defence Against the Dark Arts, and is known to have displayed a pronounced aptitude for the subject ever since his schooldays, during which he achieved top marks on it in his N.E.W.T. exam. He have having mastered all manners of defensive charms and counter-curses. He is also skilled at fending off Dark creatures, having encountered a wide variety of them during the first uprising of Lord Voldemort during the 1970s, including inferi, werewolves. His skills is employed so effectively that Dawlish can hold his own against most Dark Wizards. * '''Potions: Dawlish was a skilled potioneer, as he was capable of brewing the complicated * Martial magic: As an official Dark Wizard catcher, Dawlish is a highly skilled combatant: Throughout a long and varied career, his skill have enabled him to survive numerous encounters with dangerous Dark Wizards and fight his way bravely and skillfully out of many tight corners. In the midst of the First Wizarding War and in its aftermath, he fought valiantly against Voldemort and his supporters, during which he was responsible for his fair share of captures and arrests of the latter. Most notably, he earned recognition for his well-known defeat of the particularly notorious Death Eater Antonin Dolohov, whom he incapacitated with a well-aimed Full-Body Bind Curse after an especially vicious duel. Around the same time, he also killed the man who murdered his wife. He also is known to have single-handedly killed several giants in the war. By the height of the Second Wizarding War, a combination of unfamiliar situations, far superior opponents, sheer bad luck and Confundus Charms prevented Dawlish from exercising the full extent of his abilities and lead to frequent injuries and incapacitations, though he had recuperated enough to put up a good fight during the legendary Battle of Hogwarts, after which he returned to his usual self, fighting fit. Category:Ninclow